Story Behind The Song
This is a brief and honest history lesson regarding the harsh and unnecessary treatment of a people by our own government.
Song Description
This song is about the trail of tears. The infamous march the U.S. government imposed on the sovereign nation of the Cherokee in order to claim the gold that was discovered on their lands in what is now Georgia. Roughly 4000 Cherokee died during this march due to disease and horendous weather conditions. The title, Nunna Daul Tsuny, roughly translates from the Cherokee as "th trail on which they cried" which of course we had to shorten into the Trail of Tears.
| Song Length |
4:47 |
Genre |
Folk - Traditional, Folk - Rural |
| Tempo |
Medium (111 - 130) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Troubled, Outraged |
Subject |
Justice, Freedom |
| Language |
English |
Era |
1800 - 1899 |
Lyrics
Nunna Daul Tsuny
On a dark October morn rain was falling from the sky
In 645 wagons the Cherokee set out to die
Andy Jackson signed the law that drove them from their native land
Though they had fought at Horse?s Shoe no clout was theirs to command
CHORUS:
Nunna Daul Tsuny
On the trail where they cried
4000 shallow graves
One for each of them that died
7000 white faced men cam through the hills to round them up
Then pushed them to the wagons Ho! With bayonets fixed Get on up
Forced to leave their homes and land no time to wait until the spring
The white man?s lust for gold decreed They?d have to brave the winter?s sting
Repeat Chorus
Chief John Ross led the prayer that set them on their fateful way
Not knowing that his noble wife would with her life be brought to pay
She?d given up her blanket?s warmth to save a sick and freezing child
Pneumonia came and took her life they left her in the frozen wild.
Repeat Chorus
They came upon the river wide choked with ice they could not trust
They would have waited out the thaw instead were told that cross they must
Some to the river?s torrent lost some froze in clothing iced to skin
Unlucky some survived the month were prodded to the march again
Repeat Chorus
Still chieftains prayed for God to ease the strain upon the mother?s souls
And as they watched the children die there sprang from earth the Cherokee rose
Its heart of gold its petals white its stems always with seven leaves
Tell the story each year new and line the trail where mother earth grieves
Repeat Chorus
A stream of death a trail of tears a page from our own history
And on our twenty dollar bill the face to live in infamy
Too many are the heroes tales that came from this sad tragedy
Too many more the tales of greed of broken hopes and misery
Repeat chorus